Thursday, November 01, 2007

Snowflake Hat

This continues my tradition of knitting matching hats for all the children in my family (current count: 4) each winter. First, there were pointy Christmas tree hats with i-cord garland and button ornaments. The next year, it was snowman caps, plain white with carrot-shaped noses and button eyes and mini toboggan hats on top. This year, I decided to go a little less wacky since the kids are getting a little older now.

Gauge:
21sts x 26rows = 4in (10cm) in stranded stst on US7 (4.5mm)
Note: Your gauge in stranded stst and solid-color stst will be different. It is important to do a gauge swatch using the fair isle pattern.

You can switch to dpns whenever you start having to stretch out your stitches to go around the circular needle. Or if you use an extra long circular, you can employ the magic loop method and continue to use the circular throughout the hat.

I am getting ready to decrease on the hat (child)....if I understand correctly there are only 6 decrease thru out the pattern????...I don't want to get to far and find that I am doing something wrong???? HELP! :)

There will be 12 decreases every fourth round. Looking at the chart for the child size, you'll see the little 'carrots' (like an upside-down 'V' leaning to one side or the other). Each of those represents either a k2tog or a ssk, depending on the direction it's leaning (check out the chart key). So, starting with 96 sts, you'll decrease 12 sts on round 19 and every four round after that four more times (36 sts remaining). Then decrease 12 sts every other round twice (12 sts remaining). Then you'll cinch up those last 12 sts. Make sense?